The first major announcement of the Lincoln Center in the New York Times reported that the Center would feature an architectural style defined as Monumental Modernƒsix American architects were awarded commissions: Wallace Harrison, opera house; Max Abramovitz, philharmonic hall; Philip Johnson, state theater; Eero Saarinen, repertory theater; Gordon Bunshaft, library; and Pietro Belluschi, Julliard School. Working with Harrison as coordinating architect, the architects agreed on a set of 'unifying elements' before setting out on an architectural adventure that would span more than eight years. Referencing the Lincoln Center, Philip Johnson noted the similarity of backgrounds among the selected architects. 'We all came up through the Modern movement together and we were all looking away from the puritanism of the International Style toward enriched forms.' Expressionism, Brutalism and Formalism were some of the architectural challenges of the day to the 'puritanism' Johnson noted. Architects for the Lincoln Center's three plaza buildings settled on Formalism as their interpretation of 'Monumental Modern'. Formalism, simplified to its basics, is architecture that emphasizes form over pure functionalism or structural expression. Formalism allowed historicized elements to be applied to modern street and glass buildings, creating an instant, easily readable form considered essential to the Center's success. The stylized, temple-front columns, exterior porticos, matching cornice heights, raised podium and plaza paving pattern are all elements more historical than modern - elements that differentiated the Lincoln Center's buildings from the corporate modern architecture of the day and celebrated the traditional aesthetics associated with arts institutions. The Lincoln Center succeeded as a mid-twentieth-century experiment in making a selective group of performing arts institutions visible in an urban environment. In doing so, it launched an entirely new concept in American performing arts presentation that would be studied and cloned across the country. Before the Metropolitan Opera house was even completed, over 60 cities had cultural arts centers underway or in the planning stages. Architecturally, there is very little like the Lincoln Center in the city; as for sheer urban spectacle, nothing beats the plaza, or a house balcony, at intermission on a performance night.' Source: www.preserve.org/lmwest/id174.htm